That's
not a typo, I did mean
new day, not New Year resolutions.
I've
never
had
the habit of making
New Year's resolutions, except
for –and
only very
recently -
joining
an
annual
reading challenge launched by GoodReads at the beginning of each year
(you
do not know GoodReads? If you like to read, go there, you'll
not
regret it).
Well,
I'venever
managed to meet any of these...
which
reinforces my idea that New Year's resolutions are
not such
a
great idea, at least for me.

Setting
long-term objectives makes
them
distant and
unreal
and leads us to repeated postponements. The first postponement starts
right at the time of the
resolution:
this is not for now, just after
the
new year begins,
right?ThenJanuary
1 comes,
and
let's
face it, this
is
not the most adequate
day for
implementing
new challenges. Many of us spent the night before
partying,
went
to sleep
late and woke
up to an untidy house. Others have family or friends at home, still
others are
travelling
back to
their own
homes.
For those who have children, the first days of January are the last
days of school holidays, then it's
back to school time,
time to re-adjust daily routines...Not
to mention the calendar itself - why celebrate the beginning of a new
year on January 1 at
all and
not on
any
other date, following a
different
calendar (Chinese, solar ... )?

We
live our lives
one day at a time, and therefore, what makes sense to me (and avoids
frustrations of unfulfilled resolutions and goals) is to try to live
every day as much as possible, according to what is most important
(which will inevitably be different for each person).
This involves making choices every day, because every day is new day.
This
is why:

Today,
when I
wake up before the alarm clock rings, I will
resist
the temptation to turn around to the other side and sleep some more.
I'll get up and enjoy the silence and stillness of the early morning
having
breakfast the way I
like it
best:
slowly and in the company of a good book (not
sitting by the PC checking work-related e-mails as I often do);

Today,
I will
walk: in
the fields,
around our
home,
or in town,
leaving 10 minutes earlier than usual and parking
the car further away from my
destination.
If I
do this repeatedly, I
will
end up creating a habit and in
the long-term
I'll
improve my health and contribute a little bit
to
a better environment, while saving
some money at
the same time;

Today,
during
work time,
I'll work
with commitment and an open mind to see all that that
my work has that is
good and interesting, how I can do it
better and I'll
take note of things
that I'd
like to
further develop, through research or training.
If I
do this regularly, I'll be more productive and improve my resume,
which can only have long-term
positive outcomes;

Today
, when I
go through the coffee
shop,
I will say no to cake and coffee, and grab
theyummypiece
of fruit
or homemade cookie I
have put earlier into my bag.
In the long run, my teeth will thank me,
and my wallet too.

Today
, when I feel like giving in to laziness and sit on the couch staring
at the TV while the kids prepare
to do the same on their
computers,
I will invite them to play a game with me, to read a book together or
make
a
card for a family member who lives far away. In the long term, they
will
grow
up more balanced
and family relationships will
grow stronger;

Today,
I will
make
a shopping list for the week, looking first at what we have in the
fridge and the pantry, and then at
the supermarket flyers, trying to take advantage of current
sales
and discounts.
This
means
some work and requires time, but I
believe it is worth
it because it guarantees a series of healthier meals and more
convenient prices (plus
less time wandering about supermarket ailes).

This
list could be longer, but the important thing is that tonight, when I go to bed, I willlook
back into
the day and
feel satisfied for having given a few more steps, however small, in
the direction I have chosen: a united and healthy family, a
fulfilling job, a slightly better environment and a more economically
stable future.

1 comment:

Beautiful photograph, we have no snow. Today we had a very high 10 metre tide, flooded shore and fields and the road, so water instead of snow!I think I agree with most of your thoughts, trying to live a healthy, respectful way of life to the environment and simple ways we all change for the better . Best wishes for 2014.Best wishes for